By The Pulseline News Desk
Sri Lanka’s prison rehabilitation system is currently unable to provide programmes for the majority of inmates convicted of drug-related offences, with only 1,506 out of 4,962 prisoners receiving rehabilitation, a Parliamentary committee has been informed.
The figures were disclosed by officials of the Department of Prisons during a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, chaired by member of parliament (MP) Najith Indika.
According to the officials, the Department currently provides rehabilitation opportunities to inmates who are referred through court orders as well as prisoners who voluntarily seek assistance to overcome drug addiction.
However, the existing capacity is insufficient to accommodate all prisoners serving sentences for drug-related and other offences who require rehabilitation.
The shortfall has emerged as Sri Lanka continues to grapple with prison overcrowding, with the committee identifying the expansion of rehabilitation programmes for people struggling with drug addiction as an important part of addressing the problem.
Rehabilitation capacity under pressure
Officials have told the committee that the current system needs to be strengthened to ensure that imprisonment does not simply become a cycle in which individuals convicted of drug-related offences return to prison without receiving adequate support to overcome addiction.
The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) had informed the committee that steps are already being taken to expand rehabilitation services, recruit additional personnel and strengthen programmes implemented at Divisional Secretariat level across the country.
The move is intended to broaden access to rehabilitation beyond institutional programmes and create greater opportunities for individuals to receive support within their communities.
The committee’s discussion also highlighted the importance of continuing rehabilitation after an individual leaves prison.
Social stigma creates another barrier
Officials and committee members have also discussed difficulties faced by people who have completed rehabilitation programmes, particularly in securing social acceptance and certificates of good character.
Such obstacles can make reintegration into society more difficult and potentially undermine the progress made through rehabilitation.
The discussion therefore had focused not only on increasing the number of rehabilitation places available inside prisons, but also on creating conditions that allow rehabilitated individuals to rebuild their lives after release.
The committee had highlighted the need to review existing laws and regulations to make the rehabilitation process more effective and ensure that those who successfully complete programmes are not unnecessarily prevented from returning to normal social and economic life.
Rehabilitation as part of prison reform
The figures presented to the committee underline the scale of the challenge facing Sri Lanka’s prison and drug rehabilitation systems.
With only around 30% of the 4,962 inmates convicted of drug-related offences currently receiving rehabilitation, the vast majority remain outside such programmes.
For policymakers, expanding rehabilitation could therefore serve a dual purpose: helping people overcome drug dependency while also reducing pressure on an overcrowded prison system.
Officials from the Department of Prisons, Department of Community Based Corrections, Bureau of Rehabilitation and National Dangerous Drugs Control Board had participated in the committee meeting.
The discussions are likely to add further momentum to efforts to shift Sri Lanka’s response to drug-related offending beyond incarceration alone, towards a system that places greater emphasis on rehabilitation, community-based support and successful reintegration into society.
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